AgNet News Hour Wednesday, 06-11-25

Tune In: AgNet News Hour - Where Farming Meets the Future!

Today’s AgNet News Hour is packed with stories that every California farmer and ag enthusiast needs to hear.

We’re diving deep into some hot-button issues. First up: the closure of one of the nation’s largest wine distributors and what this means for California’s wine industry. Will prices rise? Will smaller wineries find new pathways? We break it down and explore what’s next for one of our state’s most vital industries.

Then, we’re taking a close look at a controversial bill from the Bay Area: AB1156. It proposes to make it easier to convert farmland without water access into solar fields. As the Ag Meter himself puts it, “Solar panels on farmland? Absolutely not!” Hear why he and countless farmers believe this is a fight worth waging—and why it’s all about water, water, water.

Speaking of water, we’ve got a serious health alert: Valley Fever cases are rising across the Central Valley. Some are blaming climate change, but our hosts say the real culprit is a lack of water. Tune in as we unpack how water allocations—and the push for solar—are turning fertile farmland into dusty, dangerous ground.

But it’s not all doom and gloom! Our feature interview is with Daniel Jackson from Family Tree Farms, a third-generation farmer from Kingsburg. Daniel talks about the journey from small family plots to international blueberry success—and the challenges of tree fruit farming in California. He also shares how the Jackson family is weathering the water crisis with innovation and grit.

Catch the full episode and subscribe to the AgNet News Hour podcast. Let’s keep California’s ag strong—together!